Improvement in dental bibs



ROLLIN HORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

lMPRGJEMENT IN DENTAL BIBS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,170, dated April20, 1875 application led March 25, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, RoLLIN HORTON, D. D. S., of Cleveland, in the countyof Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and ImprovedDental Bib; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and com plete description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part ofthe same.

Figure l is a front view of the dental bib. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig.3 is a vertical section in direction of the line x x, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

The nature of this invention relates to a dental bib, which is hung orsuspended from the neck, so that the upper portion will be under thechin, while the lower portion ot the bib forms a pouch or bag to receivethe saliva, 85e., as it comes from the mouth during dental operations. Awire or spring is connected with the edge ot' the bib, to keep the pouchopen to receive the iluid.

rlhe following will more fully describe the construction, purpose, andadvantages ot' said invention:

'lhe upper portion of the bib is cut or hollowed out, as seen at A, Fig.l, so as to iit closely around the neck, extending under the chin. Theedges oi' the bib are rounded out in the i'orxn of a circle, orotherwise, so as to extend toward the shoulders, and kept iirmly in thatposition by a wire, B, Fig. 1, secured in the edges oi' the thinindia-rubber, or its equivalent, of which the bib is composed. C and C,Fig. l, represent studs or projections extending from the wire, servingto keep the pouch or bag a open; or there may be suicient spring or formgiven to the wire to extend the bag or pouch without their aid. Thepouch or bag is formed at the bottom of the bib, extending from D to E.It will be observed that the sides of the bib at D D are curved orproject outward a little, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the object of whichis to cause the saliva to be gathered or concentrated in the pouch. Frepresents a cord or strap, one end oi' which is secured to the upperextremity of the bib, as seen in Fig. l. The other end is provided witha hook or its equivalent, so as to be attached to the oppositeextremity, at

G, in holes placed for the purpose of fastening the bib around the neck.

The practical operation and advantages of the aforesaid bib are asfollows:

It is well known that in the operation of tilling teeth the liow ofsaliva from the glands is naturally increased, so that the work ofplugging is seriously interfered with. To avoid this it is commonly thecustom to till the mouth with soft napkins, for the purpose of absorbingthe moisture. rlhese, as they become saturated, are removed and freshones substituted. This is not only attended with considerable trouble,giving unnecessary inconvenience to the patient, but greatly retards thework of the dentist by iilling the mouth with obstructions.

By the use of this dental bib is, in a great measure, avoided thenecessity ot iilling the mouth with napkins or placing one under thechin, the saliva naturally flowing out of the mouth and being caught inthe pouch or bag below, which, from its peculiar flaring conL struction,is readily done. In the extraction ot' teeth its service is essentiallyvaluable, on account not only ot' the pouch or bag, which catches theblood accompanying such operations, but by its broad surface b, Fig. l,and extending sides reaching to the shoulders and over the entire chest,completely protecting the clothing from all spatters, and concentratingall blood, 85o., from the mouth in the pouch, and it, being made ot'india-rubber or its equivalent, is entirely in'ipervious to the fluidsit contains, and can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

A dental bib consisting of the pouch a, with the upper portion thereofformed to extend over the chest and under the chin, and made ofgum-elastic or its equivalent material, and having a wire or spring, B,secured to the edges thereof, and provided with suitable means forfastening it under the chin, substantially as and for the purpose hereindescribed.

ROLLIN HORTON, D. D. S.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, A. F. CORNELL.

